


Maiden Voyage

by mrstater



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Married Couple, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-10
Updated: 2013-07-10
Packaged: 2017-12-18 08:37:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/877820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrstater/pseuds/mrstater
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"I lived for her smiles, so...I built a fine ship for her and we sailed to Lannisport and Oldtown for festivals and fairs..."</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Maiden Voyage

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rubirosas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubirosas/gifts).



As they approached the wharf,  Jorah let go of Lynesse’s hand, which he’d been holding as they picked their way down the rocky downhill path, and stepped in front of her, blocking her view with his much larger body. “It will be a better surprise if you close your eyes."

"Close my eyes? But it’s no secret—you’re taking me to see the new ship you’ve built me."

"For all of us," muttered Jorah, trying not to catch any of the dark eyes of his kinswomen over her shoulder. He looked into Lynesse’s sky blue ones for a moment as he considered pleading with her. He’d done enough of that lately, to his chagrin, and it almost never worked, so he tried a more direct approach. “Do I have to blindfold you?"

Lynesse huffed but obliged, and Jorah was rather more pleased than he ought to have been when she at once reached out for him, clutching his forearm in both of her small soft ones as he led her on with even greater care than before out onto the wooden dock.

"Can I open them now?".

"All right." Jorah drew a deep breath, hoping she didn’t feel the tremor that went through him as she continued to hold his arm. “Now."

He held his breath, expecting to hear hergasp.

None came.

She only said, in tones that were decidedly underwhelmed as she beheld the galleon, “I thought you said she was finished."  

Jorah’s eyes darted from the ship to his wife, then back again to the ship. “She is."

Lynesse’s features scrunched as she considered this. “I suppose a figurehead isn’t _strictly_ necessary for a ship’s completion."

The back of Jorah’s neck burned as, behind him, he heard Maege and the girls muttering. Or was he simply remembering their arguments when he’d announced that he was going to build a ship for Lynesse, so they could more easily sail to visit her kin in Oldtown, her sister in Highgarden. _By all means, build a boat—better yet, several boats, for fishing. Gods know your people need them. But a fine sailing vessel will not satisfy your lady wife—nor swell our coffers._

His hand hung limp at his side as Lynesse disentangled her arms from around it, marching up to the edge of the deck to peer up at the ship.

"Yes," she said with a crisp nod. “She’ll do nicely. She’s seaworthy, that’s what matters most. She’ll take us far away from here."

Now there was no mistaking the murmurs of Dacey and Aly, the less guarded splutters of the younger girls: _What’s wrong with our home?_ and _Good, we want you far from here, too!_ But Jorah cared only for the smile that lit his wife’s face as she spun to face him in a swirl of her fine green velvet skirts.

"What have you named her?" On light feet she ran to him, catching his hands.

"I had thought _The Goddess Descended_ ," he admitted; behind him, Aly snorted, earning a hiss of rebuke and—judging from the _ow_ that followed, a sharp jab of Maege’s dangerous elbow.

Lynesse giggled. “Oh, my sweet Ser Jorah, that’s fanciful even for you." She arched up on the tips of her toes in her dainty beaded slippers and pecked the corner of his jaw. “What about _Queen of Love and Beauty_ —for all the tourneys you shall win for me when we attend the festivals?"

Jorah swallowed. They had spoken about this—he was no tournament knight…it had only been luck—and love. “Whatever my lady wishes," he said.

She threw her arms around him then, embracing him fiercely. “There is nothing you would not do for me, is there?"

He shook his head, her golden hair so soft against his cheek.

"How soon can we set sail?" she asked, drawing back to meet his eye. Before he could answer, she clapped her hands together and did another twirl. “Oh, we shall be so happy, husband! As happy as we were the fortnight we sailed from Lannisport."

"I certainly hope so," said Maege, and for once, Jorah agreed with her.


End file.
